BRISTOL AND WEST AC – MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE –
FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2011
Present: C Elson (CE), K Brackstone (KB), C Knibb (CK), M Down (MD), H Nash (HN), D Taylor (DT), N Rose (NR), C Rose (CR).
1. Apologies: N Diamond, D Wolfe, C Preston, M Strange
2. Minutes. The minutes of the January 2011 meeting were accepted and signed by the Chairman.
3. Action Points.
· Jackets. KB is still chasing Ron Hill Sports for a quote to purchase coaches jackets. (Action KB).
· Club Kit. KB is still awaiting a follow-up meeting with Richard Ford of Easy Runner to check the inventory of club stock (at the previous meeting the shop’s IT system was down – KB is hopeful it will take place during the week commencing Monday 7 February 2011) (Action KB).
· Clubmark. KB has met with Nicky Curtis and is now working on updating the Clubmark documentation. He is chasing Nicky for e-versions of the hard copy documents she passed him. HN advised that he is still in discussion with Zoë Goodman about becoming the Child Protection Officer (CPO). HN also suggested contacting Fiona Gibson who had been the last Club CPO. (Action HN).
4. Development.
4.1. Recruitment. MD reported that Angus MacLean and Charlie MacLean (not related) had both joined the club and would be assets on the road scene, and Charlie as the current English Schools steeplechase would also be an asset on the track. The club had recruited a female 400 metre hurdler who also competed in multi-events so would be an asset to the club’s T & F team. KB reported that the email facility on the club’s web-site was generating a lot of activity and several of the enquiries had led to people becoming club members or joining the recreational runners group. Cy Knibb stated that there is a need to convert the Junior Academy members and Young Athletes into club members. Hilary Nash showed an example of a Tee-shirt that had been used before for Young Athletes and the meeting agreed that this should be pursued and would be funded out of the £10 Young Athletes membership fee agreed at the January 2011 meeting. (Action – KB/HN).
4.2. Recreational Runners. Chris Elson advised that there had been 19 club runners and newcomers at Whitehall on Monday 31 January 2011 (Secretary’s note: 22 on 7th February 2011) and four of the newcomers had already joined the club. There was a discussion whether young athletes should join these sessions and the general view was that the sessions should begin as adult sessions only but that we should consider incorporating a young athlete group at a later stage – particularly if we could enlist additional coaching support (although CE is happy to have youngsters in his newcomers group).
4.3. Facilities.
4.3.1. Stoke Gifford.
4.3.1.1. Quotes are available for an announcer’s hut and KB is in the process of getting a qualified operator of photo-finish and time keeping equipment to site to check what is needed before putting any proposals to the SGAS Board. The new portacabin is well capable of being used by an announcer (with provision for a roving microphone in the Stadium) (Action –KB to continue monitoring).
4.3.1.2. The safety of the equipment store was raised again with Filton College at the SGAS Board Meeting on 20 January 2011 and the College Principal will take steps to expedite the necessary building work. (Action – KB to continue monitoring).
4.3.1.3. Guy Fishbourne is still following up Bob Ivory’s report with Stadia to get the Hammers to meet the necessary UKA Technical specification. (Action – KB to continue monitoring).
4.3.2. Whitehall.
4.3.2.1. The problems with the side-door, the lights and the roller doors had been resolved. Barry Smart and Keith Brackstone had assembled the steeplechase barriers.
4.3.2.2. There are three main issues still to be resolved: the hammers, the pole vault cover (not wide enough to cover the bed and the frame for the stands) and the high jump cover (the wheels damage the jumping surface) – these issues are being taken forward by KB and HN with Guy Fishbourne and a meeting was held on site on Tuesday 1st February 2011 at which Guy Fishbourne gained a far better understanding of the pole vault problem and left with a very clear line to take with Stadia. (Action: KB/HN to continue to monitor).
4.3.2.3. HN pointed out that there was still a large amount of kit at Whitchurch that needs to be moved to Whitehall track. (Lead Action: KB/HN).
4.3.2.4. Cy Knibb advised the meeting of discussions that had taken place between him, KB and Paul Skipp and Mike Innes from City Academy – the latter were pushing to charge the club £8,000 per annum for use of the track and CK had presented a forceful case for why the club should not pay such a sum in year one. The ball was now in City Academy’s court and CK and KB were waiting to hear from City Academy (Action – CK).
4.4. Coaching. The feedback on the Coaches Forum held on Wednesday 26th January 2011 was that it had been generally useful. At the Committee Meeting there were lengthy and intense discussions around the question of coaching for the Junior Academy and the Young Athlete sessions at Whitehall and the need for the club to balance responding to demand quickly without either over-taxing the few coaches currently involved in this activity or having young athletes attend on one occasion not to return because the Club was not adequately prepared for them. There were also discussions about track usage and track etiquette. HN advised that he was reviewing a track safety document from Whitchurch which would be updated and used at Whitehall (Action: HN). KB advised that he was preparing a Risk Assessment that he would pass to City Academy and then a selection of club coaches for comment before circulating to all coaches and publicising (Action: KB). Some names of potential coaches were raised but most were dismissed immediately for one reason or another. There was a discussion as to whether the club should pay additional coaches and this was proposed by CK, seconded by NR and passed with one abstention. CE made it clear that his view was that this should apply to coaches at the junior academy only and there was general agreement to that view. It was clear that there are still issues to be resolved around the Wednesday night sessions and KB offered to convene a meeting of all interested parties as soon as possible. KB advised that he will be attend a Wesport Training Event on Coaching for Fees and would hope to be able to report back on some of the questions that had been discussed in recent months such as insurance, payroll and National Insurance (Action: KB).
4.5. Club Open Meetings at Whitehall. It was confirmed that the club would hold three Young Athletes ‘Open’ meetings on Wednesday 30 March, Wednesday 6 April and Wednesday 20 April 2011. The middle meeting would be based on a format required by Dean Garrett and the first and last meeting would be to a format required by Hilary Nash and previously used by the Club in 2009 and 2010. There would be a meeting to co-ordinate these three events. (Action – KB to arrange a meeting to co-ordinate the 3 events).
4.6. Club Social & Winter Awards Evening. CK presented his proposals for this event and showed the Committee Bristol Blue Glass coasters as an option for the individual awards. After a vote the majority decided that the individual awards should be more traditional (e.g. plaques or medals) and CK would look to source these. Nominees would get a certificate and CK would produce these in collaboration with KB. CK is also looking to secure sponsorship. CK will produce a schedule of tasks which he will publish – detailing who will help with what to ensure the event is a success. CK would be helped in planning the event by CR. The Hall (Rose Green) is booked and has a capacity of 150. A list of nominees for each award will be required before the next committee meeting so that all nominees can be invited in good time. Letters to invitees would be sent at least one month in advance (ie. By 15th March 2011).There would be separate cross-country, road and indoor awards at senior level. (Actions – CK, CR and KB)
5. Performance.
5.1 Cross-Country and Road Running. MD advised the Committee that despite trying to focus on entering only those who planned to race the Midland Counties cross-country there had still been 35 uncollected race packs at the end of the day (which had cost the club £175). KB was liaising with Team Managers to identify why so many athletes had not turned up on the day and he would report back to the next meeting (Action – KB). MD reported that the entries were in for the National cross-country and Team Managers were now trying to ensure the strongest possible Club teams on the day. After the National the next major club targets for endurance athletes would be the Midland (19th March 2011) and National Road Relays (9th April 2011).
5.2 Track & Field 2011.
5.2.1 Avon & South-West Leagues. The third Avon League meeting has been moved forward by a week to Sunday 31 July 2011 to avoid the clash with the South-West Inter-Counties track meeting at Exeter (Sunday 7th August 2011). The meeting was advised that there is still no team manager for the South-West League. (No one actioned to find a new team manager).
5.2.2 National Young Athletes League (NYAL). HN confirmed that first aid has been booked for the NYAL match which is being hosted by the club on Sunday 5 June 2011. There were discussions about the level of Team Management support (which were compounded when Andrea Lock e-mailed KB to say that she might not be available as much as she had been in the past following the meeting). CK undertook to follow up who might be prepared to take on one of these team management roles. (Action: CK)
5.2.3 National Junior Athletes League/Team Avon. HN advised that there will be a meeting to discuss how the Team will operate on Wednesday 9th February 2011. There was a question as to whether the club should offer to pay Team Managers – which was dismissed without going to a vote. HN reported that Stuart Nunn had been booked as Starter and Pete Davenport as Chief Track Judge for the home meeting at Yate. HN advised that Bristol & West had paid the league entry fee and there was discussion as to whether a separate bank account was needed for the composite team. It was agreed (without a vote) that transactions could take place through the club account with recovery made from the other clubs involved in the composite team into the Bristol & West AC club account.
5.2.4 Midland League. CE advised that planning for the home meeting at Stoke Gifford on Saturday 7th May 2011 is well in hand. He was still to arrange a starter but first aid cover has been booked.
5.2.5 BAL Cup – Regional Semi-Final & Final. CK had nothing to update.
5.2.6 BAL/Super 8 Promotion Match. CK had nothing to update.
6. Administration.
6.1 Membership including Life Membership. There was nothing to add to the discussion from January’s meeting.
6.2 Secretary. The written input from the Club General Secretary was noted. KB would advise that CK was preparing awards and certificates for the Awards Night and KB had booked a room at City Academy for the AGM (Action: KB).
6.3 Treasurer. The Treasurer advised by email that as at 10th January 2011 the Club’s Business 30 day notice account balance was £23,883.28 including interest of 74p and that the Club’s Current Account stood at £992.00. He reported that he had paid in some amounts but had further amounts still to pay in. The following were outstanding payments: an invoice from Hareclive, subscriptions owing to the NYAL and NJAL. Also the payment to the Development Adviser was outstanding (but this is a contra-entry with the fees being met by a donation). There was a discussion as to whether the Club should produce an annual budget and formal out-turns on a monthly or quarterly basis. There was general agreement that the increasing complexity of the Club’s financial activities made such a course of action both prudent and highly desirable and this would be taken up by the Vice-Chairman with the Club Treasurer. (Action: CK). The meeting also went on to have a brief discussion about potential future sponsorship and it became clear that Committee members could identify individuals or club alumni who might be able to offer advice or help in this area. The Committee decided to give the matter some thought and return with ideas to the next Committee Meeting. (Action: All Committee Members).
6.4 Chairman. The Chairman had no further matters to raise.
7. Any Other Business. KB was asked to remind coaches to ensure £2 was collected from everyone in session fees (except for £1 for Monday’s road sessions). A need was also identified to have a sign on the gate advising all Club Members to check in and pay on arrival. KB was asked to follow this up. (Action: KB).
8. Date of next meeting – Friday 4 March 2011 commencing at 7.30 p.m. at the Social Room at Whitehall Athletic Arena.
Keith Brackstone
Acting Minute Secretary
8 February 2011
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